Unlawful alteration/obscuring of license plate
Florida Statute § 320.061
Summary verified against the 2026 Florida Statutes: October 1, 2026.
Quick Summary
A person knowingly altering an assigned registration document, plate, or sticker, or applying material that interferes with plate-number/decal legibility, angular visibility, detection, or recording, may violate §320.061. Document the alteration/material, its effect, and knowledge. A frame or decorative border is expressly allowed if it leaves the plate number and registration decal visible. Distinguish intentional alteration/concealment from an ordinary civil display defect; a plate frame alone is not criminal.
Summary sources
Classification, Points & Penalties
Classification, Points & Penalties
- Category
- Registration / Plate
- Type
- Criminal Traffic
- Civil / Criminal
- Criminal
- Offense Classification
- Misdemeanor
- Degree
- 2nd Degree
- Points
- 0
- Fine / Penalty
- Court determined
Base fines are not the total payable amount. Costs, enforcement method, crash consequences, prior history, and court disposition can change penalties or points. A reported zero does not rule out license suspension or revocation.
Court & Enforcement
Court & Enforcement
- Mandatory Court
- Yes
- NTA Eligible
- Verify exact offense/subsection
- Custodial Arrest
- Verify exact offense/subsection
NTA means notice to appear. Eligibility is conditional; these fields do not independently authorize arrest. Confirm the exact statutory track, lawful arrest authority, traffic procedure, and agency policy.
Arrest authority guideCivil infractions resulting in death or serious bodily injury require a hearing under §318.19.